TDP 207: BSMH’s Jason Szczuka: Building Coalitions That Actually Move Innovation Forward, The 18-24 Month “Scale or Sunset” Rule for Pilots, and Creating Organization Readiness Through Incentives and Desperation

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On this episode of The Digital Patient, Dr. Joshua Liu, Co-founder & CEO of SeamlessMD, and colleague, Alan Sardana, chat with Jason Szczuka, Chief Digital Officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health and President at Accrete Health Partners, about "How to Build Coalitions That Actually Move Innovation Forward, The 18-24 Month “Scale or Sunset” Rule for Pilots, Creating Organizational Readiness Through Incentives and Desperation, and more..." Click the play button to listen or read the show notes below.
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Audio:

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Guest(s):

• Jason Szczuka, Chief Digital Officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health, and President at Accrete Health Partners
• Dr. Joshua Liu, Co-founder & CEO at SeamlessMD

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‍Episode 207 - Show Notes:

[00:00:07] Episode preview

[00:05:02] Why innovation requires a strong cross-functional coalition across strategy, clinical, finance, and leadership—and how readiness can be accelerated by creating urgency through accountable KPIs tied to incentives.

[00:07:46] Why organizations must disrupt themselves before others do, sunsetting any legacy technology that becomes an excuse preventing needed transformation.

[00:10:20] How big bets emerge when opportunity and resources align, and how this thinking led to the creation of Accrete Health Partners as BSMH’s platform for investing, acquiring, and co-developing solutions health systems need.

[00:13:48] Solving real operator-identified needs rather than chasing shiny objects, and why solutions without true internal demand rarely scale.

[00:19:46] How every BSMH executive sponsors a funded pilot through the acceleration platform, with each project required to either scale within 18–24 months or be shut down to prevent “zombie projects.”

[00:25:58] Why BSMH tolerates a reasonable failure rate—napkin math around 30%—and how most failures occur when teams launch without a fully aligned coalition across essential roles.

[00:32:30] How turnover at partner organizations can derail deals, why startups need to build deep coalitions and understand succession patterns rather than relying on a single internal champion.

[00:36:00] How ROI in a Catholic nonprofit is both financial and spiritual, noting how BSMH invests heavily in underserved communities and often prioritizes mission value beyond profit.

[00:39:33] Predicting the emergence of personal digital health assistants that combine AI, EHR access, and local providers—and why health systems risk commoditization if they do not stay proactive.

[00:42:38] Highlighting the importance of coalition culture and sustained team performance, drawing inspiration from his daughter’s national championship flag football team and their commitment to shared purpose over individual ego.

[00:46:56] Encouraging listeners to invest an hour a day in learning and why forums like The Digital Patient can help leaders avoid repeating others’ failures while amplifying what works.

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Fast 5 Lightning Round:

1. What is your favorite book or book you’ve gifted the most?
   To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2. If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be?
   Guitar.
3. Would you rather have Super strength, super speed, or the ability to read people’s minds?
   Super speed.
4. What is something in healthcare you believe others might find insane?
   "That health systems will either lead the future or become commoditized if they fall behind."
5. What is the last movie or TV show you saw?
   John Candy: I Like Me.

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